On this bonus episode of Takeline, Jason talks with sports journalist and author Simon Kuper about FC Barcelona losing legendary player Lionel Messi due to financial mismanagement. His new book The Barcelona Complex details the inner workings of Barca and how they’ve gone from the most successful soccer club in history to an organization struggling to find its competitive edge.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/takeline.

The Messi Situation With Barcelona

Takeline is a weekly podcast hosted by Jason Concepcion that’s a fast-paced exploration of the NBA and world of sports and culture. Each week Jason talks about the games, players, controversies and issues that run both on and off the court. The show will be a place for lively debates, guests (experts and super fans), and contributors who will provide game analysis, get deep into the storylines and will give the audience a chance to learn everything they didn’t even know about the games. New episodes every Tuesday!

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Sports

Basketball

All good things come to an end! On this series finale episode of Takeline, Jason is joined by three of his rotating co hosts, Zach Harper (The Athletic) Jordan Ligons (Spinsters podcast) and Jamel Johnson (Air Buds, Sorry We Love Football), to offer one last round of hot takes on the sports world. Then, super producers Zuri Irvin and Ryan Wallerson join the fray for one last Take Survivor.

The Takeline Series Finale

What a sports weekend! The World Series ended with a Houston Astros victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in six games and the Major League Soccer season ended with Los Angeles Football Club’s first championship. Jamel Johnson (Air Buds, Sorry We Love Football) returns this week, alongside guests Will Kuntz (LAFC asst. general manager) and MLB.com’s Will Leitch, who join to take us into the MLB and MLS championships.

The Greatest MLS Game Ever + Houston Astros Redeem Team

Jason Concepcion joins special guest Jamel Johnson (Air Buds, Sorry We Love Football), alongside The Athletic's Fred Katz and Zach Berman. Fred Katz, Knicks beat reporter, checks in to explain why the team is moving both backwards and forwards. Zach Berman, Eagles beat reporter, joins the show with a temperature check on the Philadelphia Eagles and their chances of a perfect. Jason and Jamel discuss Kyrie Irving and how to combat conspiracy theories.

The Knicks’ New Blueprint + How the Eagles Remain Undefeated

Welcome to a NBA and Athletic heavy edition of Takeline. Jason Concepcion and the great Zach Harper, NBA insider extraordinaire for the Athletic, dissect the early season struggles of the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers, then Zach’s fellow NBA Insider at the Athletic John Hollinger joins the episode to share his thoughts on the first week of the NBA season and major storylines for the 2022 NBA campaign.

Surprises From the NBA's Opening Week

It's a soccer themed episode of Takeline this week. Kellyn Acosta, midfielder for Los Angeles Football Club and United Stated Men’s National Team, comes on Takeline to discuss LAFC’s regular season success, preview the MLS playoffs and look forward to the World Cup. Then, we’re joined by Wall Street Journalists Josh Robinson and John Clegg, the co-authors of the new book "Messi vs. Ronaldo: One Rivalry, Two GOATs, and the Era That Remade the World's Game," a deep dive into the careers of the two football legends as their careers enter their respective twilights.

The Messi Situation With Barcelona

Download our free app to listen on your phone